Merge a scene file

You can merge scene elements, animation, settings, and takes into the current scene using the Merge Options window. Options in the window let you select which elements to merge, append, or replace from the incoming file. For animation, you can choose to load or discard the animation from the incoming file. You can merge an .fbx, .3ds, .dae, or .obj file with the current scene.

Note: When you merge scenes with animation set on multiple layers, keyframes set on the BaseAnimation layer are merged (but not plotted) to the BaseAnimation layer. However, other layers are added to the scene as additional layers and these layers are not merged. The result is the same whether you merge-append or merge-replace the scenes.

Merge scene element, animation and settings

1. Select File > Merge from the main menu bar.
2. Browse to the file you want to merge into the current scene and open it.

   The Merge Options window appears with the following default settings for the incoming file:

   • All Scene elements and Settings are to be merged, which is indicated by this icon: .
   • All animation is to be loaded, which is indicated by this icon: .
3. Choose from the following:
   • To merge all scene elements, animation, and settings from the incoming file into the current scene, click Merge.
     Important: If you choose to merge all the files or use the Merge All option, the Degrees of Freedom properties in the incoming file overwrite the Degrees of Freedom properties in the current scene. To prevent this, append the element rather than merging it. Double-click the Merge icon until the Append icon appears, which indicates that the element will be appended rather than merged.
   • To discard a scene element, animation, or setting so that it does not load with the merged files, click the icon beside it until the Discard icon appears.
   • To discard all the elements, animation, or setting so that they do not load with the merged file, right-click beside under Elements, Animation, or Settings and select Disregard All from the menu that appears.
   • To append an element so that it adds new data, but does not replace existing elements with the same name, click the icon beside it until the Append icon appears.
   • To append all the elements, right-click beside under Elements and select Append All from the menu that appears.
4. Set the other merge options, such Apply Namespace and Takes as desired.

   See Merge Options window .

5. Click Merge.

   The selected assets, settings, and takes are merged into the current scene.

Note: When merging a file into the scene, the Story ON/OFF mode from the incoming file overwrites the Story ON/OFF mode set in the scene.

For information about saving a scene file, see Saving scene elements, animation, settings, and takes.